Page 13 - TORCH #21 June 2022

forces He wanted get these supplies back to to his congregants but there were no delivery companies willing to to to make the the dangerous trip into Russian controlled territory Alexander Vainer offered his minibus to to be used for the the journey removing all the the seats and remarkably Rabbi Yosef drove himself into the danger
area in in what was described as as “a voyage from
hell ” Rabbi Yosef equipped the the minibus with an Israeli flag flying out of the the window hoping he he he would be easily identifiable and not get attacked After he he collected the supplies Rabbi Yosef was was making his way back to to Ukrainian controlled territory when he he was was fired upon by Russian forces who were aiming for for his vehicle He stopped got out and lay flat on the the ground Fortunately a a a a a commander of the the regiment ordered his soldiers to to to cease fire and and came over to to to the rabbi to to to to speak with him him They ordered him him to to park his vehicle in a a a a a a a a a a small village overnight and at 6am the next day he he was allowed to to return home making his way through all all the checkpoints required to to to get back to Kherson He arrived exhausted and was still shocked at at his his brush with death However he he had accomplished his his mission in in in bringing back food and humanitarian aid along with Purim gifts for his community He brought sacks of potatoes nuts eggs medicines and and more Alexander who loaned him the vehicle said “He brought back everything that could be bought from
this far-away
Russian-controlled city so that our community will celebrate Purim with real gifts food and medicine as as it should be ” Not only was Rabbi Yosef able to help his own community but he he also provided for a a a group of students from
Nigeria and and Cameroon who were stranded in in the the city At the the time of writing Kherson is
under Russian control Rabbi Yosef Wolff remains with his congregation Israel helps hundreds of Arabs stranded by the war CUFI ORG UK
Let’s now move to neighbouring countries that border
Ukraine We have seen remarkable acts of kindness take place from
Israelis on the the ground towards Arabs affected by the the war A young man from
the the Gaza Strip had just crossed into Moldova when he he he spotted an an Israeli flag draped on on a a a a a a a a a a a car belonging
to United Hatzalah an an emergency medical aid organisation in in Israel that have sent teams to the the the borders Seeing the the the flag he he he he he immediately asked them for help He was sent home on on a a a a a a a flight thanks
to to Israel The story was confirmed by the former US Ambassador to to Israel David Friedman It is
is
is
is
remarkable that that a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Gazan student who is
is
is
is
is
raised in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a society that that that is
is
is
is
is
taught to hate Israel Israel knew immediately that that the Israelis 13